


by your side

by gaynewsies



Category: Newsies - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, race goes to the refuge, sorry - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:06:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,533
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24301837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaynewsies/pseuds/gaynewsies
Summary: in which,albert dasilva misses racetrack higgins more than anything.
Relationships: Albert DaSilva/Racetrack Higgins, Ralbert - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 18





	by your side

**Author's Note:**

> this is dedicated to btbi mwah love u guys  
> this is very short but uh i liked it so  
> my twitter is gaynewsies follow me rn

“albert, please.”

the boy’s sunken eyes traced the perimeter of the popcorn ceiling. the shaky drafts rattled and blew frozen air right at him. usually, his scratchy wool blanket would be enough to keep him warm, but that was when race’s warmth radiated around him. now the bed under him was empty, mattress cold to the touch. a shiver ran down his body.

“albie, look at me.”

albert’s head snapped to the right. “what, jack?” he hated this. he hated feeling so alone, yet so surrounded. jack’s blue button up, usually bright and cheery, just like him, looked drab in the muted lighting of the lodging room. behind the drawn curtains, the winter sky was gray and gloomy. his brown eyes held an unknown emotion, scanning the details of albert’s expression. the line’s of jack’s face, years of experience, deepened. his rough hands gripped the bar of the bunk bed, itching to soothe albert. anything- a rub on the shoulder, a pat on the back. he couldn’t bear to see albert look so _distant_ , so _dejected_ . “what happened?”

albert blinked, eyelids sore from crying. he straightened his neck, the creaking of the bed frame bouncing off the thick, stone walls. his dry eyes stung as they ran back and forth, more rapid this time, like he was watching the events play out above him. “you know what happened.” he croaked. his lips trembled and his vision began to distort, the dirty white of the ceiling blurring from hot tears.

downstairs, the rest of the newsboys were eating their breakfast- stale bagels and warm milk- in silence. nobody dared to say a word- what was there to say? race wasn’t here to do les’ homework or hover over jack’s paintings or finish his lessons with jojo. he was teaching him how to speak italian.

“i know he got taken.” jack layed out, blunt and firm, a rip of the bandaid. albert flinched, instinctively clenching his fists. “but i don’t know how, or why.” jack pushed, raising his eyebrows and locking eye contact with the boy in front of him. albert’s pulse quickened under the spotlight.

for a second, the only sounds were the vents.

albert sniffed, trembling hands flying up to wipe away his tears. his breaths starting coming in faster, shallow and panicked. he shot up, back hunched over his tangled mess of legs and blanket. his face reddened in splotches, and his whole body wracked with each sob. little by little, every thought and worry and blame took their shot at him. there, he let himself cry.

the bed was hardly enough for the two of them, but jack didn’t hesitate to clamber up the ladder and wrap albert in his embrace.

“ _it’s all my fault._ ”

you see, albert wasn’t somebody who was always happy. he’d get frustrated at himself over everyday mistakes, he’d be stressed if he didn’t make enough money one day, and he’d get jealous if some girl flirted with race on the streets. he was stubborn and teasing, and sometimes his ill temper and deep passion would get the best of him- but he was never like _this_. he was also confident and amused, compassionate and loving.

he loved his favorite pair of shoes and his selling route and his cap. he loved les and katherine and every single one of the newsies uniquely. he loved their distinctive traits, their inside jokes, and the stupid nicknames he kept for all of them. he loved the little things, the tiny joys, small details of everyday life that made him smile. he loved being race's friend, and he loved everything about race, and he loved _race_.

race was his person. he was his rock, his confidant, his partner-in-crime. race was his light, his home, his love, his happiness.

“i didn’t hug him, jack.” albert pulled his face away from jack’s chest, and the pain was so clearly written across his face that it brought jack to tears. the whites of albert’s eyes had been replaced with a desperate red, and his dirty hair clung to his forehead. “i didn’t tell him. i was scared and i shouldn’t have been because he was never scared and i shouldn’t have been either and...” he trailed off. maybe he didn’t have the words, or maybe he didn’t want to let them go.

jack didn’t have to ask- he knew. he pulled the boy closer, crying with him.

-

albert laughed, smile wide and head thrown back, even as his breath got stuck in his throat and he started coughing. the pressure in his head pounded, but race just made him so happy. there was a rattling in his chest as he regained his breath that was so loud race flinched.

race was smiling too, but it wasn’t the same. his eyebrows folded in and he stared deeply at albert, worry tugging at his heartstrings. “you’re sick, albie.” he said once albert’s coughing fit calmed down, spoiling his smile. albert would usually insist that he was okay- because it’s _fine_ , he’s _tough_ , calm down. today, though, albert rolled a rock under the toe of his boot and sighed.

“oh, really?” he muttered sarcastically, pulling his jacket closer around him. his voice was nasally and scratched and caught at some syllables. he tried a tired smile that clashed against the pain on his face. “hadn’t noticed.”

race sighed, contemplation swirling around him. he offered his apple to albert, who sat shivering next to him on the sidewalk. he wanted to wrap him up, rub his arms and ensure him he’d be okay. but, he didn’t. 

albert took the apple graciously, taking a bite from the other side and smiling at race from the corner of his eye. the blue-purple of exhaustion pooled under his puffy eyes and he was covered in goosebumps and his skin was beginning to take on a sickly pale tone, but he still had that glowing look about him- because that was albert.

race stood up, dusting off his pants, leaving albert alone on the curb. “you need medicine.”

a scoff and a chuckle brewed at the back of his throat, tasting bitter on his tongue. “yeah, i know.” he brought the apple to his mouth again- it was bruised and dry, but it settled the desperate turning of his stomach. a heavier feeling settled inside him, deeper than hunger- a morbid, draining spin on dread.

he’d never been this sick, and he surely couldn’t afford medicine.

“i’m serious.”

albert rolled his eyes. _drop it, racer_ , he was going to say, but their eyes caught each other’s. the clear blue of antonio higgins was magnified with certainty, and determination set his jaw. “tonio, _no_.”

“it’ll be fine, albie. not like i haven’t swiped anythin’ before.” race smiled reassuringly. “promise.”

albert shot up, suddenly feeling too heavy for the oxygen drained muscles of his weak legs. lightheaded, he swayed, gripping onto race’s firm shoulder for support. “tonio, hey, c’mon. let’s just head back. ‘m gettin’ tired.” albert was pleading, his voice unstable.

“albie.”

albert hardly ever fell ill. this winter, though, he’d been hanging around some flushing kids with a fever and he just wanted to help them, but maybe he’d caught what they had, and maybe his immune system was weaker this year. he didn’t know what happened.

“i’m fine!” he snapped. he wasn’t angry- he was scared, and every bone in his body ached so bad he wanted to cry. he would’ve been able to buy medicine, but he needed food and he didn’t want his buddies sleeping on the street in this weather and he just wanted to make sure they had a bed to sleep in. “i… i promise.”

“you’re half dead, albie.” race said, and albert flinched, because he was right. race tilted his head, pressing a kiss to albert’s forehead after making sure nobody was looking. “don’t move. all goes well, and i’ll meet you back here.”

albert knew he shouldn’t have let race walk away. he _knew_ , the moment race turned around once he’d made it to the street corner, with a tiny, reassuring smile, so small and sad, that albert should’ve stopped him.

 _be careful_ , albert whispered. the heels of his shoes dug into the soft grass that sprouted from the deep cracks in the sidewalk. he wanted to sprint after him, to stop him and hug him and have him be safe in his arms. but, he didn't.

 _i will_ , race replied. the warmth of his breath escaped his mouth as he took a long sigh, looking at albert like he’d never be able to again. the wispy fractals of condensation danced around until they melted in the winter air. race nodded, an aura of finality in the way his eyes held onto albert like he never wanted to let go. he gripped tight to the soft brown of his eyes, the way his freckles twirled around the bridge of his nose and his pretty pink cheeks. _promise._

albert didn’t know exactly what happened next. the drug store was five blocks away, and albert still heard race’s yell- a pleading shout, spun with desperation and pain. never once, though, did race call albert’s name.


End file.
